#Makeheritagefun: A Visit to Tuvixeddu

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Tuvixeddu stands in a state of neglect today. A simple survey of the area brings to light what can be done to repair the immense damage already caused.

Gathering at Tuvixeddu:

On the 26th of March, I organised a visit to Tuvixeddu, which is located in central Cagliari. The participants of the event met at the centre of the necropolis during the day. We spent the next few hours surveying the area and understanding what went amiss, leading to its current, dilapidated state.

Tuvixeddu has great potential as a heritage site, but has been neglected for a long time now.Image Courtesy: M Giulia Scalas

All I wanted to do was to take the participants through the site and gain their insights about the conservation of valuable cultural heritage.

All the participants were instructed to travel by bicycle. As we reached the entrance of the site, we saw that it would be quite hard to pedal all the way to the top. We saw a guard sitting at a tiny outpost near the entrance, skimming through a magazine, looking quite uninterested.

There were no signs that guided visitors through the area. We weren’t even surprised to see the lack of information provided within the area, since it had come to be in a state of total neglect over the years.

Surveying the Site:

We decided to march onward, to survey the tombs and the carved rocks that dotted the area. We decided to walk toward the necropolis, which is walled off by low enclosures so that the public isn’t able to directly access the tombs. But we decided to climb over it anyway, to have a closer look. No sooner than we did this, did the guard come and tell us to step back.

The tombs were walled off from the public, but we decided to look at them anyway.Image Courtesy: M Giulia Scalas

The rest of the site was left in a state of incompletion, since several projects of restoration were abandoned. Each and every participant was able to notice how the site had reached a state of total neglect.

We did, however, enjoy a nice sunset at the site, surrounded by the greenery of some endemic plants that dotted the area, such as rosemary, arbutus, selvatic mint and sage. We were surprised to see how some parts of the area were covered in such rich foliage, and rejoiced in its antural beauty.

Surprisingly, there was a lot of greenery in the area.Image Courtesy: M Giulia Scalas

As we sat and enjoyed the sunset, we discussed the possible conservation methods that could be used to restore the area. The involvement of the government at a higher level was something we all agreed on.

Visual experiences like these give new hope to neglected sites like Tuvixeddu.Image Courtesy: M Giulia Scalas

A lot can be done for this site in order to make it accessible to the public once again, and it can only be kickstarted through community involvement. Events like these are stepping stones to raising such awareness.

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